Over Ruled

The Human Toll of Too Much Law

By: Neil Gorsuch, Janie Nitze

Narrated by: Neil Gorsuch, Charles Constant

America has always been a nation of laws. But today our laws have grown so vast and reach so deeply into our lives that it’s worth asking: In our reverence for law, have we gone too far?

Over just the last few decades, laws in this nation have exploded in number; they are increasingly complex; and the punishments they carry are increasingly severe. Some of these laws come from our elected representatives, but many now come from agency officials largely insulated from democratic accountability.

In Over Ruled, Neil Gorsuch and Janie Nitze explore these developments and the human toll so much law can carry for ordinary Americans. At its heart, this is a book of stories—about fishermen in Florida, families in Montana, monks in Louisiana, a young Internet entrepreneur in Massachusetts, and many others who have found themselves trapped unex­pectedly in a legal maze.

Some law is essential to our lives and our freedoms. But too much law can place those very same freedoms at risk and even undermine respect for law itself. And often those who feel the cost most acutely are those without wealth, power, and status.

Deeply researched and superbly written, Over Ruled is one of the most significant books of the year. It is a must-listen for every citizen concerned about the erosion of our constitutional system, and its insights will be key to the preservation of our liberties for generations to come.

©2024 Neil Gorsuch and Janie Nitze (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Thought provoking read!

Enjoyed this analysis of the law (and regulations) through stories of the people affected by those laws and regulations. Told in an easy-to-read format.

More than just case studies

I’m impressed with the showing of the gradual encroachment of a huge federal government and sometimes state government bureaucracy. The case studies were beautifully entwined with commentary by the authors or the authors quoting other people. This was a much better book than others that only have case study with not as much context. Very interesting that under JFK there was a legal genius who gave us a guide to helping with the senseless federal bureaucracy. So many people were grievously harmed by government enforcement of senseless rules.

The cases and unnecessary money that were spent on unfair charges and that no punishment was ever given for wrongful charges.

Very thought provoking and informative! The author did a wonderful job conveying the way the system currently works and the foundations it was formed on.

The growth of the administrative state, regulatory capture, and legal proceedings with no jury

Justice Gorsuch and Janie Nitze have put together some thought-provoking stories on the growth of the administrative state (and the penalties associated with it), regulatory capture, and the fleeting concepts of mens rea and lenity. Highly recommend!

There is hope for the Rule of Law

Americans are so fortunate to have Neil Gorsuch sitting on our Supreme Court. I appreciate the wisdom and the thoughtfulness put into this particular book. It gives me hope that we can actually revert back to the principles of our Founding Fathers. And it well demonstrates that we must put the administrative state in check because we are definitely overruled, not by laws, but by administrators who act as if their word is law. You will be glad when you read this book because it will give you hope also.

Informative and interesting!

I really enjoyed this book and its summary of the current state of law in the U.S. Justice Gorsuch concisely provides an overview of the scope and frequent overreach of many laws and government agencies. By using case studies and frequent examples he details how oftentimes a case can be measured against a particular law or rule that was never intended for its circumstances. He rightly points out that in many cases the average person can be overwhelmed by the volume and complexity of the law, and all too often has no viable recourse or alternative. This is an excellent read and I highly recommend it!!

Great book!

Great history and understanding of our laws! Listened to several times… good lesson on being involved in government…

An Excellent Book About a Serious Problem

There is just too much law. Justice Gorsuch does a great job going into detail about how the code books in the US have steadily expanded until they are essentially unknowable and arbitrary. The fact that we do not currently know how many federal crimes there are is absolutely insane and should be alarming to all of us!

I highly recommend this book.

Timely, very legalistic but not above your head

This book goes DEEP into the weeds. It’s obvious Neil Gorsuch is a very learned jurist. But he breaks up the legal analysis with vignettes, examples, and humor to avoid leaving you bored or feeling totally frustrated with the state of government or

Government out of control

I know the federal government is intruding on our lives. We are losing choice on more things everyday. Light bulbs, shower heads, washing machines, cars, refrigerators, dishwashers, gas cans… the list is endless.
However, the stories in this are so scary that one has to wonder, how close are we to total tyranny brought on by “experts”. Covid demonstrated how fear and trusting experts can rob us of everything.
The Constitution with all its warts is still better than any alternative. It deserves our protection.